The Colours of Autumn
by SilverKitsune2017
Summary: Each year, Winter comes to take away all of Autumn's colours. For as long as the seasons have turned, has Autumn danced in the shadows. Never once have Winter and Autumn had the chance to meet before Autumn flees Winter's icy grasp. This time, Winter comes early and finds himself the one ever-changing like the leaves. But even that vibrancy may not endure Winter's gentle touch.
1. Chapter 1

The Colors of Autumn

**Authors' Note:** This is a collaboration between myself and celestia193. It's also a YAOI story. That means there will be male x male romantic pairings involved. If any of that bothers you, you might want to turn back now. For those still here, we hope you enjoy this story and reviews are always appreciated.

**Disclaimer:** We don't own Naruto or make any profit off of our fanfics.

Chapter 1

Itachi could feel it. The instinctive pull telling him it was time to act. It had been this way for far more seasons than he cared to recollect. As the eldest son of Father Time and Mother Nature, Itachi knew his role well. He was the personification of winter. Ice, snow, the cold, and everything of the like were his to wield and wield them he did. Exceptionally well.

This year would be no exception. Though he was feeling rather dramatic. Perhaps Summer, his little brother, was rubbing off off on him. The urge to 'show off' was more powerful than it had been in awhile. An intricate early frost would do the trick.

"A fine day for a frost." Itachi smiles as he summons just the smallest of slivers of his magic to his fingertips and waves his hands over some nearby leaves. Frost begins to form on the edges and he would have continued were it not for the sounds of giggles and sighs of pleasure.

Curious he follows the source of the sound, only for his eyes to grow wide in wonder and shock. It seemed some dryads were celebrating the last days of fall with one another and someone that Itachi had never seen before, but he instinctively recognizes as one of his own kind. He wasn't Summer, his little brother, but he couldn't possibly be Spring either. He'd always wondered if Autumn had taken on a physical form as well or if it was just a transition. It seemed the former was the case though.

"Haruna, Kyoko." A tousled mess of curly ebony hair sits atop the head of a young man with skin as pale as ivory. Jet black eyes glitter enthusiastically as he sweeps a young woman with soft brown hair and another with long red hair with matching flowing, glittering green dresses into his arms. "So then, should we have one last tryst for the season? I'm going to miss the both of you so much." Golden flecks glitter in his dark eyes as the soft afternoon light reflects off the vibrant autumn leaves.

One of the dryads smiles, kissing Autumn's cheek. "You act as though we could ever deny you anything."

Itachi wasn't certain if she was Haruna or Kyoko. Perhaps it didn't matter. The intent behind Autumn's words was enough to make his own cheeks heat with something that Winter had never experienced, but he recognized well enough. A blush.

"She's right." The second beams, wrapping her arms around Autumn's neck. "We'd be foolish to pass up such an opportunity. You're always so wonderfully affectionate. I'm hopeful you'll visit us again next year. You can bring your friend as well. As long as he's of like mind with you, I doubt my sister or I will have any reason to complain."

A dark eyebrow rises as those jet-black eyes glance away from the girls in his arms and towards the watcher in the wings. And for a moment, all movement in the world ceased. Autumn swore that even his heart stopped beating. His eyes widen slightly as he takes in the handsome sight before him. Long raven hair pulled back and tied over his shoulder, a dark cloak hanging about his shoulders, and fathomless onyx eyes. The man struck an impressive figure, the likes of which Autumn had never seen before.

It takes a moment, but he find the words on his tongue once more. "He's not a friend yet, but he's more than welcome to join us if it pleases him." It would certainly please him if the mysterious man were to join them and proved as alluring as he looked.

Itachi watches. He had been spotted, but he was a bit at a loss for how to proceed. That was an invitation and an inviting one, but he knew nothing of Autumn. Not really. Dyrads were easy enough to understand.

"Come and join us." The red-headed dryad, Haruna, beckons Itachi to them.

His curiosity getting the better of him, Winter approaches. With every footstep closer, he could practically feel their reaction. It wasn't as strong now as it would be in a few days, but the dryad's were already getting goosebumps on their lovely skin. They knew or at least suspected.

"I think perhaps we should take our leave." Kyoko bites her lower lip and glances at Autumn. "The seasons are changing faster than expected this year and though the thought of playing with both of you is pleasing, I should think this is something best discussed between deities. We'll await your return next year eagerly." She smiles before leading her sister off between the sunlit trees with their quivering leaves.

"I apologize. It appears I have interrupted you and your...friends. That wasn't my intention." Itachi watches the other man, tilting his head to the side. Itachi appreciated beauty in all forms. Be it feminine, masculine, or somewhere in the middle. There was no denying Autumn was exactly that. Beautiful.

"It's fine." Autumn shifts slightly, already feeling the chill in the air surrounding him. There was no question who this man was now. Even if he showed restraint, his very presence was enough to fill the air. "They know I'll return to these parts after the frost is gone." As gorgeous as the man was, Shisui could feel the power pouring off of him. It was titillating. He'd never felt someone who restrained so much power before. "…You're a little early, don't you think?" More often than not, he at least had some warning when Winter itself was going to walk through his sunset-coloured forests.

"Perhaps I was a little overeager this year. My goal was to create glorious first frost." He just hadn't expected to run into Autumn. Until that very day, the other man's existence had been more the product of speculation Itachi's part than anything else. More than once he had alternated between believing that autumn was short because there was no personification of it and believing there had to be. He and Sasuke were Winter and Summer, surely their counterparts had to be out there. "My name is Itachi. Had I realized that this season had a being tied to it...I would have waited longer."

"I don't blame you for it, I doubt that most know of my existence." Shisui's lips twitch into a smile. "I am Shisui, the spirit of Autumn, the one who brings the harvest days and the turning of the leaves." It was by far the most important part of his job, and really…the only part of his job that mattered. The rest of the time, he simply wandered about the woods, frolicking among the leaves with the dryads. But at the sight of Winter…of Itachi, he was rather tempted to reconsider leaving before the frost covered his leaves. "Had I known that you were such a sight to behold, I might have stayed around longer in past seasons."

He was very flirtatious. Itachi didn't know why that surprised him, but it did. Then again, he had never really thought about what Spring and Autumn's personifications would be like in terms of personalities if they did exist at all. "You are a flatterer, but I cannot lie. I find myself curious about you. It also gladdens my heart to encounter another of my kind." The only other one he had met was his Sasuke. Summer was his brother. Shisui wasn't.

"You must the other one's brother, you resemble Summer closely." Shisui had only ever seen the man from a distance, but there was a way that the two carried themselves, and something in the features of their faces that was unmistakably familiar. The two were also incredibly attractive, but he knew well that Summer's attentions lay elsewhere, and he would not begrudge his friend Summer's attention. He steps towards the spirit of winter and smiles warmly. "It's good to finally meet you."

Itachi tilts his head. "You know my brother?" Why had Sasuke never mentioned Autumn? The thought was a disturbing one, but the other being smiled so warmly. Appearances could be deceiving, but Itachi doubted that Autumn presented a real threat to himself or Sasuke. So why? "It's good to meet you as well. I would say that I heard a great deal about you, but it seems that Summer is far more secretive than I ever thought he capable of."

"I know of him, I've seen him at a distance from time to time." But Shisui had been careful to never get close during one of their spats. "I often watch him arguing with my cousin. The two of them are very animated about when spring ends and summer begins. And about any other topic that catches their fancy. He takes great pleasure in goading your brother."

Not only did Autumn have a physical form, but Spring did as well. "It appears that I have missed a great deal. Should I be concerned about this rivalry?" If his brother was in danger, he'd have to act. Though the lilt in Shisui's tone was so light...perhaps such actions weren't merited.

"I'm not worried, I know that my cousin can handle whatever fire Summer spits at him. He's quite surly, isn't he?" Shisui's dark gaze glitters with warmth. "I think that's why my cousin likes to provoke him, to get a rise out of him. He'll always say that 'Sasuke acts too much like an icicle and needs to thaw out and relax,' so he'll provoke your brother into an argument just to see some flames."

"I'm relieved to hear you aren't worried, but you say that as though there is something wrong with icicles. Those are some of my best work." He watches Shisui with amusement, uncertain how the other would react to his subtle jab. He understood the intent well enough. "It's good that it is nothing more than a spirited rivalry."

"I hope that they make it more than just a spirited rivalry." Shisui wanted all of the happiness in the world for his cousin, even if the term cousin was a…loose one. "But tell me more about these icicles of yours. All I ever seem to see of them is the little devils hanging off my leaves and stuck up immortal arses."

"For someone who claims to have never directly interacted with my brother, you seem to picked up on some of his mannerisms." Itachi's lips twitch upwards in something he knew was halfway between a smirk and the beginning of a laughter while he summons an icicle. "Whereas you might see little devils, I see a subtle beauty. Water is an interesting element. People take it for granted, but it's the most adaptable. At it's natural temperature, it is a liquid. It can become one with the air or if it grows cold enough it transforms into snow or ice. It may lack the colorful nature of your leaves, but if you stare closer...I think you'll see it has its own appeal."

He closes the distance by merely a couple of steps, but Shisui's gaze glitters playfully as it fixes on Itachi's face. "Yes, I think I can see something to that effect." Despite the chill in the air, there was something to be said for Itachi's unmistakable appeal, no matter how simply Winter had dressed. In dark clothes and soft furs, everything looked appropriately warm for the chilling weather. Warm enough for two, perhaps? "I suppose that anything can be more beautiful if it sparkles in the sunlight."

"I surmise I should take your wandering eyes that you value male companionship as much as your dryads?" Itachi had rarely seen someone so subtle and yet bold in their flirtation before. "Though I am glad that you admit the icicles are beautiful."

"I value what companionship I can find." Shisui's gaze heats slightly, sensing no immediate rejection in Winter's voice. "Though…I can't say I've ever had the chance to meet someone of your…stature before."

"You're a flatterer. Though in your case I imagine it's more that you wish to share my furs than out of fear." Itachi watches the other season, uncertain how accurate his statement was. Lust and fear were both powerful emotions, but fear did usually have the upper hand. "As far as our stature goes. I see little difference between us. We share the same...purpose to maintain the balance of nature. I'm actually rather pleased to have found you. For many eons, there was no certainty for me. I thought my brother and I were the only ones of our kind and yet, here you are."

"It's understandable, I'm a rather recent addition to our quartet." Much more recent than either of the brothers were, Shisui knew as much for a fact. "Autumn is fleeting enough that there hasn't been much of a place for me. Not like the well established places for the three of you." They were essential, he was an accessory.

"Recent or not, the dryads seem pleased enough to have you among our ranks." Itachi feels his smile grow more teasing. "As am I. Being what we are comes with great privileges, but try as we might it can be difficult to find those who truly understand us. I've always had more fortune with the larger species of winter faerie than tree spirits myself. They probably hold causing their leaves to fall against me, I suppose."

"I'm sure that they would like it if you found ways to strip away their leaves in more enjoyable ways." Shisui takes one more step forward and presses a single finger to Winter's chest. "Not everything in this life must be about the changing of the seasons, after all."

"Your youth certainly makes you bold." Itachi smiles, allowing the other season the liberty to touch him. His intention obviously wasn't to attack and curiosity was a powerful voice. Perhaps he wanted to know just how for Autumn was willing to push his luck as humans might say. "I suspect you're correct. I'd ask if you were territorial about such things, but you did invite me to join in your games."

"I did." A hint of challenge and another of tease seeps into Shisui's voice as the lightly trails his finger down Itachi's chest and towards his belt. But his fingers stop just shy of truly touching anything…compromising as he briefly eyes the tree just to the left behind Itachi's head. "Do you enjoy playing games?"

Flirtatious, but not foolish enough to venture further than that without his advances being returned explicitly, Itachi muses. "Sometimes. It depends on the manner of game and with whom. As you said, our existence isn't purely about our duties."

"And I'm sure that once your domain is blanketed in snow, you will have little to do but frolic about with fairies and spirits." Shisui's eyelids slower slowly, falling to half mast as his eyes glow with a soft, sunset orange hue.

"I do occasionally enjoy frolicking with faeries and spirits, but I do far more than that while I reign." Itachi finds himself mesmerized by Shisui's orange irises, feeling his own transform into silver ones. "This year though, something else has ensnared my interest more. Curiosity is a powerful force and I must admit that I am very much curious about you." Itachi smiles, willing his powers to their smallest manifestation as he slides his hand along Shisui's cheek.

"Is that so?" Shisui smirks and leans his cheek against Itachi's hand as he hooks two fingers into Itachi's belt and pulls Winter nearly flush against him. He gazes into those alluring silver eyes and rests his other hand on Itachi's hip. "Then why don't you show me what it is that the king of winter can do?" He brings their lips within a hair's breadth of each other and feels the cool touch of Winter's breath on his lips.

"It is and you should also summon all your power." His own magic was growing stronger by the minute and Shisui's influence was waning. Itachi would have to take great care not to turn Autumn into a handsome and ridiculously large icicle. "Still, I'll be glad to show you what I can do." Itachi's hands settle on the curve of Shisui's ass as he brushes his lips against the other supernatural. "There is something to be said for experience." Before deepening the kiss, savoring the warmth of the other man's lips against his own. The other man's wild scent and the taste of his kiss. Like pumpkin, cidar, and some spices that were intermingled in an indistinguishable, but intoxicating blend.

Shisui shivers as trickles of Itachi's power wash through him in a wave, pushed back only by Shisui's own residual power. The cool warmth of autumn coats his core, coats his limbs, and steadies him as he pushes Itachi back towards the tree, pushes back into Itachi's heady kiss with no small amount of the taste of mint on his tongue.

Itachi allows himself to be nudged against a tree as much out of surprise as anything else. Few would dare to assert any degree of dominance over him. "I find myself more and more curious about you with every passing moment." He sighs into the kiss, his own tongue exploring the other man's mouth and delighting in all the senses Shisui was evoking.

A heated whisper passes Shisui's eager lips. "And I'll give you even more to be curious about, I promise." Shisui's arms wrap firmly around Itachi's back. His fingers brush against the fur of Itachi's cloak, then curl into the soft fabric of Itachi's clothes.

Itachi smiles and pulls away from Shisui's lips in favor of leaving a trail of kisses along his jaw until he works his way to the other man's ear. He takes the delicate flesh between his teeth and tugs lightly before licking it. "I hope that you are a man of your word."

"I like to think I am. I certainly don't make promises I can't keep." Shisui lowers his head and noses along Itachi's collar, then bites down on the pale skin of Itachi's neck just below his jaw.

"Sounds p-promising." Itachi tries in vain to bite back a groan. "You're rather lucky or observant. How did you guess that my neck was one of my most sensitive spots so quickly?"

"I have a lucky streak." Shisui chuckles as a short, curly lock of ebony hair curling over his forehead pales and turns silver out of the corner of his eyes. "But that's very good to know, Itachi. I'll be sure to make good use of it." He licks the slowly reddening spot on Itachi's neck, then presses his lips to it to leave behind a vivid spot that would surely bruise.

"A lucky streak and a possessive streak." Itachi groans at the feeling of Shisui's lips against his skin, feeling the mark forming even if he hadn't looked down to see it. "I suppose that does make sense, though. You likely have as many sides to you as autumn leaves have colors."

Shisui smirks against Itachi's skin, then raises his head, his jet black eyes brimming with challenge. "Don't tell me you don't like it."

"I do find your occasional boldness quite refreshing. It's rare for someone to dare to take such liberties with me." Itachi smiles, watching Shisui closely as he interlaces his fingers with the other man's.

"Then was it you who were hoping to take liberties with me instead?" Shisui laughs teasingly and squeezes those cool fingers between his own. "Perhaps I should be more worried about protecting my own virtue than stealing yours."

"Perhaps you should." Itachi tightens his grasp ever so slightly. "Though when one gets to my age, such considerations grow ever more insignificant. I enjoy pleasing my companions and being pleased in equal measure."

"Is that so?" How rare was it that Shisui had a challenge? All of his conquests had been…easy, though pleasing to all parties. But the question of whether he could match Winter remained to be seen. "Then it's kind of you to indulge my childish fantasies." He brushes another kiss against Itachi's lips with a coy smile and presses his catch a little more firmly against the tree.

He returns the kiss with a smile of his own. "I might be inclined to indulge you, but somehow I'm quite certain your fantasies are anything, but childish."

"I suppose that they're not." Shisui runs a hand up into Itachi's soft, silky hair and twirls his fingers into it as he pulls Itachi back into a searing kiss. He breathes in the cool taste of mint and holly berry on Itachi's tongue and the crisp smell of winter in Itachi's hair. Perhaps it was true what the humans said. A man who had cold hands had a warm heart.

Itachi allows himself to surrender to the moment. Shisui was an exceptional kisser. Winter had always enjoyed the carnal arts as much as the next person, but never before had someone actually managed to take his breath away in such a fashion. "I could grow accustomed to this."

"I think I could too." Shisui sighs and presses on with the broken kiss once more, pushing and pulling and wrapping himself up in Itachi even as he wrapped Itachi in all that he was. The kiss sends freezing sparks throughout Shisui's body, setting his nerves aflame with tingling pleasure. No nature spirit held this power, this power that could seep into every nook and cranny and corner of his very being. It was intoxicating and Shisui couldn't help but fall willingly into its grasp, into Itachi's grasp.

"If you continue as you are, I suspect any lingering dryads will be treated to quite the show." Itachi smiles slyly as he ends the kiss by tugging on the sexy season's lower lip with his teeth. "You do not strike me as the shy sort, so perhaps that sort of display would be of interest to you."

Cloudy gray eyes open as Shisui smirks and pecks Itachi upon the lips to free himself. "Its rare enough that I find a bed and a partner at the same time, I'm no stranger to treating the local fae to a show."

"I imagine that they're exceptionally grateful that you do not mind performing in front of them." Itachi chuckles, but concern flashes in his eyes. Shisui's irises shouldn't be that color and several locks of his hair were taking on a silver hue. "As much as I am loathed to say this, I believe we should continue this another time. I'm...my reign is commencing and if you dally, you'll grow ill."

Shisui's smirk softens into a smile, then his smile saddens. "I know. I only wanted to enjoy this moment for a little longer." Had he been careful, Shisui would have fled the moment Winter arrived. But there was such a compelling presence about him that Shisui couldn't bear to leave without getting to know the man at least. He could feel the cold spreading through his skin, changing it as though smearing ashes beneath the surface. Soon it would turn brown and crack, as it always did if he lingered for too long. "So you are sending me away, then?" He holds Itachi's hand within his own, but it no longer felt so cold to him. It felt…almost warm.

"For your own safety. You'd make for a handsome icicle, but I can't imagine that's the form you'd prefer to spend the winter in." Itachi chuckles as he holds Shisui's hand as well. Still, he had to do the proper thing. Shisui's safety was at stake. "We'll meet again."

"I suppose that's better than being an ugly icicle." Shisui chuckles softly and steps back, his silver-streaked curly hair waving in the first winds of winter. "I do hope that we meet again. I enjoyed our time, even if it was as fleeting as my beautiful leaves." For Shisui, everything was fleeting, all except for the stubborn presence of one single person.

"You are many things, but ugly certainly isn't one of them." Itachi frowns as he watches Shisui begin to dispel before his very eyes. "We will see each other again. That I promise you." It was painful to see him go. Itachi knew it was foolish to become so enamored, so quickly, but he had. Perhaps this was how his mother and father had fallen for each other so many eons ago.

A smile plays about Shisui's lips as his power fades almost entirely. "Farewell, Itachi." His skin turns reddish brown and begins peeling away, his body dissolving into autumns last leaves as they swirl away on the last cool breeze.


	2. Chapter 2

The Colours of Autumn

**Authors' Note:** Thanks for the reviews. We hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 2

Among trees forever touched by light and a small clearing filled with a riotous rainbow of flowers that never wilt, sits a small home of beautifully stained cherry wood and delicate paper screens, with lanterns and wind chimes hanging above the outer hall along the eaves. A secret place. A hideaway. The hidden home of Spring, and Autummn's safe haven.

A screen is left open, letting in the warm sunlight and fresh spring breeze. Birds of every shape and colour and size twitter about freely, watched wistfully by a pair of dark, cloudy gray eyes. How wonderful it must be…to be a bird living in the forever warm and happy home of Spring, a place that not even the frost could touch.

Pale fingers clasp around the cup of tea as Shisui brings it slowly to his lips. He takes a sip and smiles as he shifts under his blanket and back against the two pillows propped up against the wall. "It's wonderful. You've gotten even better at making it, Naruto." For there was a time when Shisui remembered his little cousin making some rather god-awful attempts at 'tea.'

"Well, I managed to get the bastard to show me how to do it." Naruto grins at Shisui, delighting in the compliment. "He finally said he'd do it if it would 'shut me up.'" The grin soon blossoms into a fully fledged belly laugh. "You'd think he'd know me better by now. It's still funny to see him sulk, though."

"Yes it is." Shisui had seen that face on the younger brother before. Several times, in fact. After all, it wasn't unusual for Shisui to check up on Naruto every now and again. And it seemed that every time he did,, those two were at it again. "How are things going with him? Have you broken down those last few walls of his yet?"

"Well, Sasuke is Sasuke. He's still you know pretending to be friends, but he's becoming a little less violent." Naruto rubs his chin thoughtfully as if that was a major accomplishment. "I mean, he used to try to punch AND kick me. Now, he's down to punches. So yeah, I think he's starting to warm up to me."

Yes, Shisui thought so as well. Or he hoped so, at least. "That's good. Maybe you'll finally have him sometime in the next few decades." Shisui could hold his breath that long if that's what it took. "But once you have him, make sure to bring him home to meet me. I have to make sure that he's right for you."

"I don't think it'll take decades. He just likes to play hard to get." Naruto tilts his head to the side as if considering something. "I think it's because he's summer. Summer is a hot season, very aggressive. So, it's probably a pride thing. Sasuke can be weird sometimes." Still, sometimes you just knew. If Naruto tried to articulate why he wanted Summer, he probably wouldn't have been able to. No more than how birds knew where to migrate. It was just an instinct and one he felt deep inside his very soul. Shisui was better at the poetic stuff. Naruto was more of a doer than anything. "He's right for me. He'll play nice eventually. Are you okay? I know the last day of fall can be pretty tough for you?"

Shisui smiles gently, then looks down at his pale, gray-tinged hands, thin and almost devoid of life. He knew that the rest of him didn't look much better. It wasn't unusual, but he'd done something rather stupid this year. "No, but I'll be fine after I've had some time to rest here." His cloudy eyes glimmer dimly. "You make it easier to recover when Winter has come to whittle my spirit away."

"I wish it wasn't so rough on you. My transition to Summer is a lot easier." Naruto frowns, not entirely sure why it was so hard on Shisui. It wasn't fair. "Well, if it helps, the leaves were even more beautiful than usual this year."

A soft snort of amusement huffs past Shisui's lips. "You say that every year, Naruto." With widely varying degrees of eloquence, of course. But Shisui…had found something even more beautiful than his leaves… "But their beauty rightfully fades and crumbles next to Winter's."

"Well, to everything there is a season, ya know?" Naruto smiles at him, wanting to reassure Shisui. "We've all got our part to play. Yours is beautiful and a little brief, but that makes it all the more awesome. Winter is well...Winter. He's Sasuke's brother, but I've never met him. If you listened to Summer though, you'd think he walked on water. Well, I guess he kinda does...I mean, he freezes it."

"I wouldn't be surprised. He's…beautiful." Shisui had never before seen another being quite like him, not even Naruto's fiery companion. It was a quieter but more imposing sort of beauty. "I finally met him just a few days ago. He's more than I ever expected he would be."

The blond watches Shisui curiously. He'd never heard his cousin talk like that before. "So you think he's like your Sasuke?"

"I don't know." At a glance Shisui would like it to be so. But…when considering it more deeply… "It would be nice to have someone, but…after just a few kisses I end up like this." He lifts a hand and turns it over, examining his almost transparent skin. Admittedly, this was worse than other years and it would take much longer to recover than before. "I know that I shouldn't have done it, but I couldn't just leave him without…" Without something to remember. "Then he made me leave to protect me."

"Well, his power was growing and yours was weakening. It was just bad timing is all." Naruto nods at him, deciding it was best to encourage Shisui. "So, if you think he might be your match, you should go for it. Besides, you're already kinda ahead of me." The blond couldn't resist pouting a bit. "Far as I know, Winter didn't try to attack you."

"…No, he didn't." Shisui had figured out as much. Winter had melted into the kiss, melted as though spring was in the air. "Not on purpose in any case." But anything else would have to wait until Shisui had power again, recharged by the warm, sunny days of spring and summer. Shisui raises a hand and ruffles Naruto's bright blond hair. "I may be ahead in not getting myself attacked by him, but I think you're still ahead in compatibility." After all, what could he do if Itachi's own powers tried to freeze him?

Naruto shakes his head. "You'll find a way, if it's meant to be. Besides, he wasn't expecting you and it was just rotten luck because your strength was waning. That's all. Winter is wicked old and stuff. He probably knows how to scale his power."

Shisui chuckles and takes another sip of his tea. Naruto really knew how to run his mouth. It was lucky that the man in question wasn't here to hear his little cousin say that. "Try not to say that in front of Itachi, Naruto. He may be patient, but I don't know how he would take to being called old." Though, admittedly, even if Itachi looked a bit younger than Shisui did, there was no doubt that he was Shisui's elder by a great many millennia…

"Um right. Yeah. I won't mention that. So, you're really smitten then?" Naruto smiles. This could be fun.

"I suppose I am." All it had taken was a glimpse and a few words, and Shisui's attention had focused in solely on Itachi. Maybe there was something to that old reprimand. The things they shouldn't have were the things they wanted most. "If it's meant to be, it will be. If it's not, then it will just fade away. So there's no need to worry about me, Naruto."

"I wasn't worried. I just wanted to tease you." Naruto laughs as he drinks some tea. "I mean it's not everyday you look like some wide eyed doe impressed by a stag."

Shisui blinks, then a faint tinge of pink dispels a little of the gray in his cheeks and he smiles. "Admittedly, I probably did look like that when he walked into that clearing." Shisui could remember that moment clearly, and it was one that he would never forget.

"Oh I'm sure he was utterly charmed by your doe eyes and the way you probably swooned in his arms." Naruto couldn't resist ribbing his cousin.

"He was. At least he was enough to chance spending a few moments to kiss me." Shisui raises his fingers to his lips, remembering the cool tingle on his lips. Then he huffs and shakes his head. "But there wasn't nearly as much swooning as you seem to think."

"I guess that's fair. Anyway, I'm happy for you." Naruto pats him on the back. "Careful though, if he's anything like his brother, he's probably stubborn as hell."

"That's a distinct possibility." Shisui's cloudy gaze turns out towards the door once more. "…I think I'll try taking a walk tomorrow." Getting outside again would probably do him a world of good. As much as he loved Naruto's home, he never particularly enjoyed being cooped up in it. A walk…might just be what the healer ordered.

* * *

There was something beautiful and almost eerie about the home that Mother Nature and Father Time had made for themselves and their family. Somehow all the seasons had blended together. It was neither hot, nor cold. Everything was pristine and alive. It didn't matter whether it was touched by clouds, greenery, snow and ice, or something else all together. There was a certain artificial beauty to it. Everything had been sorted into it's proper place and melded together. Such was the way of things when nature and time worked in perfect harmony.

Itachi sits at a table made of glass. The way the light reflects upon it gives the impression of a rainbow on the ceiling made of clouds. "The first day of winter went well. I had a most unusual encounter, though. I met Autumn."

Mikoto glances at her son curiously as she sips at her perfectly made rose and chamomile tea. "You met the spirit of Autumn?" How odd, she'd never heard either of her sons mention the other spirits before. "Did the two of you have an argument over the seasonal changes?"

"I did and no, he yielded easily enough." He wouldn't reveal Sasuke's relationship with Spring, but his own was another matter. "I'm afraid, without meaning to...in his weakened state, my powers overwhelmed him."

"Oh, I see." Mikoto's silky white dress, shimmering with all of the hues of nature itself, flutters as she taps her foot slowly to an unheard song. "It's only natural that your powers would overwhelm him. You are my first child…the one who brings the cold winter and can hold the world in your grasp for eons. When Sasuke was born, I had to use all of my power to protect him from yours until he was strong enough to resist your sway."

Itachi casts an apologetic look at Sasuke. Even as a child, it seemed he had almost hurt one of his most precious people due to his own strength. "I see. Is there perhaps a way to...make my power less...overwhelming towards at least those with magical blood should I wish it?"

"There is." Though Mikoto feared that it may not work as her son wished it. "It works with powers opposed to and aligned with your own. Exposure, building up an immunity to the power overwhelming them. That was how Sasuke's powers grew so strong."

"Because they needed to so I could survive being so close to Itachi all the time." It made sense, Sasuke could see why it worked like that. "And what about powers…that align with each other?"

"Powers that align with each other can overwhelm through sheer concentration." Mikoto had seen it before. "Too much power in one place can be volatile. But they are less likely to snuff one another out and more likely to cause a chaotic environment around them. Or in each other. But it's easier to achieve magical harmony between powers that are aligned."

"Is that what happened with you and Father?" Itachi gazes at Fugaku Uchiha in open amusement, who responds with a playful snort.

"Something like that. If you truly wish to entertain the idea of a friendship with Autumn, though...it would be in your best interests to begin such attempts in Spring's domain. His power is more...malleable. It shouldn't overwhelm either of you without him trying to do so." Fugaku nods, lifting his own tea cup to his lips and savoring its contents.

"Yes, but…be careful." Had Mikoto foreseen this eventuality, perhaps she would have done things differently. "When my friend and I…created these newest incarnations of Spring and Autumn, we were pleased that Spring had become so strong. You are my precious firstborn, Itachi, but in order to prevent you covering the world in ice…again." She looks pointedly at her husband who could be rather demanding at times. "We worked to create a being with the power to make you yield, as is the natural order of things. But Autumn is…different to the three of you. His purpose is not the same as yours."

"Then what is his purpose?" Itachi frowns, not entirely sure if he liked where this was going or how well it boded for Shisui.

Mikoto sighs and reaches for her son to run a gentle hand through his hair. "His purpose is not to force Sasuke to yield. If Sasuke wants to indulge in a long summer, Autumn does not have the power to stop him. Autumn's power is to appear when summer is done and begin the transition to winter. He is the bridge that connects the both of you. His power's focus is change, not sustaining a season. He is there to ripen the fruits and make the grain ready for harvest, to make the colors of the leaves grow wild and vibrant. But only for a short time. And then, he yields to you, his power withers, just like his leaves, for he takes his power from the life forces of Spring, and Summer, your brother."

Sasuke shifts uncomfortably as he sits half tipped over in his padded throne of polished oak, green leaves, and summer grass. "So that's why he only ever starts working once I've gotten tired and bored?" And when he wanted to finally see that idiot's face again.

"Yes." Mikoto nods slowly. "And within the first week of his season, I would guess that more than half of his energy is already spent."

His mother had designed Autumn to indulge his brother. Itachi sighs, deciding it made perfect sense. If he was likely to overpower Sasuke, then the same should be true for the season following him. "That makes sense. Well, I shall just have to be careful then."

"Yes, you will need to be very careful, my son." For Mikoto had not meant to make Winter so powerful, and yet…Itachi was the eldest and strongest of all of her children and creations. "Autumn cannot give life or take it away, he is a neutral power between the two of you. The life-giving powers of Spring and Summer will strengthen him and protect him." She needn't tell Itachi what the reverse would mean. "When you are near Autumn, yield to Spring. If you wish to protect him, you will not fight Spring for control." She glances with a hint of a mischievous smile at her younger son. "However, you and Spring can fight all you like. I rather enjoy watching you two bicker."

Sasuke's eyes widen and he nearly sputters. "How did you-"

"Sasuke, I am your mother." Mikoto waves her hand airily "Did you really believe that you could hide your infatuation with the little sunflower from me?"

"I've spent eons trying to hide things from your mother and haven't managed yet." Fugaku shakes his head, shrugging. He knew how such things ended and it was never in the other party's favor. "That's with my ability to control time, so do not fault your stealth skills, my son."

Sasuke's lips nearly twitch into a snarl, but he thinks better of it and merely crosses his arms and sinks back into his seat, pouting irritably. "I am not infatuated with that IDIOT."

"Of course not, Sasuke." Itachi determines it was best to just go along with his brother's denial for the time being. "In any case, I shall tread cautiously with Autumn and yield to 'the idiot' as Sasuke calls him."

"Good." Mikoto leans over and presses a kiss to her oldest baby's forehead. "Just be gentle with him, alright Itachi? And I'll see what I can do about finding you and your sweetheart a more…permanent solution."

Itachi feels his face flush. "Sweetheart? Mother...I think that might be a bit premature."

"It's never too early to be thinking about love." Mikoto pats Itachi's burning cheek affectionately as her younger son snickers in the background. "You've been on your own for so long…it worries me, Itachi. I want you to find love, just like your father and I did."

"It's difficult when my power overwhelms almost any who isn't somehow affiliated with winter." His face was now burning hot. This was embarrassing.

"Like I said, I'll look for a more permanent solution for you." Mikoto would have looked before, but Itachi had just…expressed little interest in such things. She'd been ecstatic when Itachi had found some snow faeries to keep as company, but it was the first time her baby had looked so sweet when thinking of someone else. "So just wait a little while for Spring to tend to Autumn, and then you can go see your sweetheart."

"Don't even bother disputing the sweetheart label, your mother is exceptionally stubborn." Fugaku chuckles and shakes his head at the absurdity of it all.

Sasuke was just glad that it wasn't him getting the lion's share of the attention now. Watching his big brother squirm was such fun. "So, how are you going to find him? Are you going to travel the world in search of their little hideout?"

"I figured that I would just ask you since you seem so acquainted with Spring." Itachi throws a sly glance at his brother.

Instead of rising to the bait, Sasuke carefully focuses on the positives of the situation. "So you're willing to give me a century's worth of blackmail material if I take you to see 'Shisui'?"

That was enough to make Itachi almost reconsider. Still, a century was nothing in the grand scheme of things. Besides, he could indulge his brother. "Yes, I suppose I am. Assuming you know the location." That didn't mean he wouldn't goad Summer, though.

"I can take you." Sasuke had no doubt about that. "But you'd better be ready for a bit of a trip. Our magic can't transport us there like it can other places. Spring made sure of that. "He like people well enough, but that's the one place where uninvited guests can't go."

"That's fine. I think I can handle a hike." Itachi smiles at Sasuke.

"Remember that when we're climbing through a valley full of overgrown sunflowers." Sasuke rolls his eyes, remembering Naruto's sense of 'decorating.' "And try not to blind yourself by staring at the bright colours for too long." Naruto made their mother's decorating scheme look tame. "And don't freeze anything either, or you'll learn the…hard way not to make that mistake." Sasuke shivers slightly at the memory of a giant patch of orchids on fire. That hadn't ended well.

"I promise to play nicely." He shakes his head. Itachi had never seen Sasuke so skittish about anything before. "Don't worry. I can conduct myself like a civilized season."

"Good." At least now Sasuke could be sure that he wasn't going to have to get between his brother and his…idiot. "When do you want to leave?"

"Whenever you like." Itachi smiles at Sasuke, hope blossoming in his heart. His brother knew where they were going.

"Perhaps you should give them until the new moon before you pop in for a visit." Mikoto could see the eagerness in her son's eyes, but that should still be tempered with caution. "Autumn might still be ill for a few days, and I'm sure that you would prefer to see him when he is well."

"Your counsel is wise as always, Mother." He nods, biting back a sigh as he turns his attention back to the food in front of him. "Well, it was a good start to the season."

"I'm sure it was, if you're getting a sweetheart out of it." Still, Mikoto knew just how to perk her son back up. "And in the time before you go, perhaps you could find a gift to bring him? I'm sure he'd love to receive a gift from you."

Itachi tilts his head at that. A gift? "What does one give Autumn? A pumpkin?"

Sasuke nearly snorts into his stew as he fishes out a large spoonful of it. "If I were to follow that reasoning, my next gift to you should be a ball of snow." Perhaps to the face like the human children did. "Did you miss the lessons about choosing proper gifts?"

"Oh please, Sasuke do regale me with your insightful gift ideas." Itachi barely refrains from huffing. "He's Autumn. There are a lot of pumpkins in his season. So, it stands to reason that he would like them."

"Something that he can't get with a snap of his fingers?" Or, Sasuke assumed that Shisui snapped his fingers when ripening all of the summer's bounty. "I've seen humans about with all sorts of trinkets. Some from family, some from friends, some from lovers." All sorts, really. "Some of them have some rather good ideas. Pendants, charms, tokens that can be worn. Those sorts of things."

"Perhaps a new staff or something of that nature." That seemed more masculine than a pendant or charm to him at least.

"Whatever floats your boat, Itachi." So long as his brother kept him out of whatever strange dance he was doing with Autumn, Sasuke was fine with entertaining Itachi's eccentricities. Sasuke huffs and rolls his eyes. "And if you really want to do something seasonal with it, then decorate it with something you think he'd like. Like maybe a pumpkin on top…"

"Maybe. I'll have to think on the matter." Itachi sighs. Courtship games were utterly foreign to him. Most didn't know he existed and those that did either coveted or were terrified of his power. He'd never had to romance anyone.

"Then maybe it's about time you actually take a walk among the humans that you bury in snow every winter." Sasuke certainly had. He did so with great frequency in fact. "For such short-lived and silly creatures, they occasionally have some very good ideas."

"I suppose it cannot hurt. I do have some time to fill." Itachi smiles, poking Sasuke's forehead. But there were a great many options presented to him. Which humans should he start with?


	3. Chapter 3

The Colors of Autumn

**celestia193's Author's Note:** And we give you...Aoda having very interesting friends!

Chapter 3

Snowflakes fall gently across dirt and cobblestones where many busy feet leave imprints in the once pure white blanket. In the air, they drift peacefully until pushed off course by the puffy white breaths of the mingling humans. Lanterns hang from the eaves of every house and every shop, glowing in the dimming afternoon light. In the tower, a bell tolls in celebration. For winter has come, and with it, new feast days to be shared.

The scent of freshly baked bread permeates the cold air, warming it for a moment before disappearing on a cool early winter breeze. The cold, though it pinkens cheeks and licks at exposed skin, is warded away by warm clothing and warmer meals, and the small bonfires lit about the town.

Itachi smiles at the sight, though it was frustrating. Despite his best efforts, he had yet to find anything that seemed a suitable gift for Shisui. So, once more he heads into a small shop. Perhaps this would be the one. "Is anyone here?" He had masked his magical aura and donned the garb of a human, trying his best to blend in with the town.

"Yes." A slim young woman appears in the doorway leading to the back of the shop, her long blonde hair worn loose with two braids pulling it away from her face at the temples. She weaves out between the shelves of pottery and jewelry, all crafted lovingly by friends and family. Her eyes widen and begin to sparkle at the sight of the mysterious, handsome stranger. "May I help you?"

"I hope so." He smiles coming closer. She was quite beautiful by human standards, but she didn't hold the same allure Shisui did. "I'm searching for a gift for a new friend of mine."

Her blue eyes glitter excitedly and her hips sway as she approaches the stranger. "What sort of gift are you searching for? Something for their home? Something to be used? A decoration?"

"Something beautiful, but something they can use." Itachi watches her, aware that he wasn't being very specific. "My friend is an artist you could say." That was the closest Itachi could come to explaining Autumn's talent for all things colorful. "He appreciates color, the bond a good meal can create, and he's very easygoing in nature. His favorite season is Autumn."

"Hm…let me see…" Her eyes scan the shelves and settle on a table displaying colorful pottery. "Perhaps a painted stewing pot? Mother always said that cooking is not just a way to bring the family together, but an art passed down from mother to daughter and father to son."

"Well, it is quite practical and pretty." Itachi examines the pot carefully. It was certainly well crafted and they weren't courting yet. Did he really wish to give him a bold gift? This might be a good way to test the waters. "I think this should do very well. How much is it?" Money was no object for him, but he did have to pretend to be a mortal.

"Three silvers." Very reasonably priced, if she did say so herself. Ino knew that if one went a town over, they would have to pay twice that price for such a beautiful pot.

Itachi gives her three golds instead. "Keep what remains. I've been searching for a suitable gift for a long time."

Ino's eyes widen as she cradles the coins in her hands. This was more money than the store would make in a year. She couldn't possibly take all of this just for the pot. "Th-thank you, Sir!" Her gaze darts about, then settles on a rack of leather cords, all adorned with beads and charms and pendants engraved with runes. "Please, take these as well." She pulls a half-dozen of them from the rack, including a pair of matching polished stones that gleam with hues of blue and gray and green, engraved with delicate runes, then polished to a mirror shine.

She places them into the pot and reaches for a padded basket in which to carry the wares safely. For the coins the stranger had given, this was paltry compensation. "They contain wishes for good fortune, good health, honor, virtue, and success in love."

He blinks at the impressive collection of beads, pendants, and charms. "That's very kind of you." Itachi glances at the human, determining it was best to take them. This was likely some matter of honor. He had given her far more money than was necessary for the pot. "I'll take them with me. Thank you."

Ino beams brightly as she hands him the heavily laden basket with ease, her delicate frame belying her inborn strength. "I wish you and your friend happy and healthy days ahead."

"And I the same to you and your loved ones." He takes the basket. "I should take my leave. I imagine you'll have other customers to attend to and I shouldn't keep him waiting." He offers her a polite half bow before starting on his way. Humans were very...energetic creatures and so easy to make happy, it seemed. No wonder Sasuke was so amused by them.

* * *

Shisui readjusts the warm fur over his shoulders as he sits out in full sun in the middle of the garden. It was hard, but he'd made it far enough from the cabin that he couldn't see the roof over the tops of the sunflowers anymore.

This was one of Shisui's favourite places, a place that was perpetually warm and sunny and beautiful. His cousin might be gone for now, but he could take care of himself for now, even if it was more tiring than usual. But right now, all that matters are the sounds of spring and summer all around him, the energizing warmth of the sun, and the calm serenity of the paradise that Naruto had made for the two of them.

Reaching to his left, Shisui plucks a fallen sunflower head from the ground and begins pulling out a few seeds to crack open and chew on. The best part of being Autumn was most definitely his ability to ripen food whenever he felt a craving for it.

"You're back. Winter must have come early this year." A quiet hiss comes from behind him as an enormous snake approaches Shisui. A smile, well, a smile by snake standards, plays upon his lips. His massive body sways behind him while his tongue flickers everywhere. "The sunflowers smell nice, but I prefer meat."

"Aoda…" Shisui smiles gently and reaches into a pouch t his hip and retrieves a number of strips of dried meat. He chuckles as he places them on Aoda's snout. "Yes, Winter came a little earlier than I was expecting." He rakes a hand through his silver-streaked hair. "It was quite the surprise."

Aoda quickly devours the offering and nods. "I see that. Always thought you preferred females, but his scent is all over you." The snake watches him curiously, his tongue still darting in and out of his mouth. Tasting the air. He was snooping. "I've known Summer and Winter since I was little more than a Hatchling. So, I guess it's not a surprise. They're prettier than most two legged females."

It was true, Shisui could still feel Itachi's residual power all over him, even though it had been several days since he had seen the man who controlled the cold season. "There's no one to tell me that I can't enjoy time with both." Though he had, so far, stuck to females, there was just something about Itachi that was…almost magnetically irresistible. "But his power was too much for me."

"Winter is powerful. That's why a fair number of animals hibernate." Aoda concedes with a nod. "He's friendlier than most would think. Used to sing to me when I was a hatchling,"

"That sounds very nice, I think I'd love to hear him sing." Shisui reaches out his free hand to stroke Aoda's scales and scratch very lightly along the flat of his head. "It seems that they treated you very well, I'm glad. Does the cold nature of Itachi's powers not hurt you, as a cold-blooded familiar?"

Aoda's tail swishes at the petting. "He is very good at controlling his powers, but my cold-blooded nature makes me more vulnerable. Still, I'm fortunate. Master Sasuke has bonded with me. So Itachi's magic instinctively recognizes me as 'family' and thus it doesn't bother me any longer."

"So you've been bonded with Summer, that's good." Shisui could think of no better season to look after such a magnificent serpent. "Then I suppose you've also seen a number of his 'fights' with Naruto."

"I've seen males fight over females before, but they're the first males I've ever seen that fight each other as foreplay." Aoda shakes his head, equally amused as he was baffled. "It makes them happy, though. Master Naruto is no threat to Master Sasuke."

"Yes, it makes them very happy." It always warmed Shisui's heart to see how well those two really got along. If they weren't so obviously in love, they definitely would have killed each other by now. "But if you would rather be with Summer, I won't make you stay here just to keep me company. Though I do appreciated that you came to see me."

"Summer and I are bonded. I'll always enjoy his company, but that doesn't mean I enjoy yours less. Besides, he is likely going to be busy with Master Summer and...I'd rather not get caught in that crossfire." Aoda wasn't jesting either. Those two were rather vigorous. So are you and Master Itachi going to be Mates then?"

Ah…and that was the question. Shisui hadn't thought so far ahead, in no small part because of the fact that they seemed, if only on a power level, incompatible. But if he were going to entertain the notion… "I don't know. I would like to see him again and get to know him better."

"Two-leggers make everything needlessly complicated." Aoda shakes his head as though disappointed.

"We do, don't we?" Shisui laughs softly and picks at his sunflower again. "Then, in all of your infinite wisdom, what would you suggest? What could we do to make it possible for me to stay in his presence and not wither like a flower in the frost?"

"Well, I know you can not become his Familiar." Though it'd be easier, Aoda muses. "I would ask Mother Nature. She would know how to make such things easier. If you both want each other, I see no reason to continue with an awkward courtship dance. You're both powerful. You can both protect Hatchlings. Find each other's touch pleasing if his scent all over you is anything to go by." Aoda trails off. Really, two-leggers were strange. It was a wonder they ever managed to mate anyone.

"Yes, I suppose that we could ask Mother Nature if she has s solution, whether there are any hatchlings involved or not." Shisui certainly hadn't thought that far ahead. For the most part, he was focused either on the ripening of the harvest, or on surviving through the winter to finally come again at the end of summer. "But Itachi is far more powerful than I will ever be. It's as intoxicating as it is terrifying."

"It's good to have a strong mate. Why would you be scared of that...unless you don't trust him. In which case, you shouldn't mate." Aoda nods sagely.

"Not of him, just…the power that he wields. It weakens me without a need for him to make even the slightest effort." As alluring as Itachi was, and as much as Shisui wanted to get to know the kind, strong spirit, it worried him that he might not be able to. "He is strong, but I know that I do not have the power to match him."

"You don't have to match him in power. Summer is...younger than Winter. He's adapted. You will as well if that's what you desire." He nudges Shisui with his giant head.

"I suppose that I could." Shisui laughs and nuzzles back against Aoda's scaly cheek. "Though I will admit that I wonder if he might change his mind about me." As much as Naruto teased him about having doe eyes…Itachi really was an impressive figure, like a proud stag with the most magnificent antlers. "Though I suppose if he does then I'll wander back to my faeries." Short, fleeting moments of affection, but moments that Shisui had learned to cherish.

"You don't know Winter that well if you think he'll lose interest so swiftly." Aoda licks Shisui's cheek. "He was the only one of his kind for many eons and after that, only Sasuke. He might not have said so directly, but I know that he's always wanted someone at his side."

"Yes, I can understand why." Shisui smiles and presses his nose lightly to Aoda's snout. "I will try. My presence and power are fleeting and fade quickly, but…I am willing to try, even if in the end he makes me disappear."

"He wouldn't do that to you. He's not needlessly cruel. I should probably get back to letting you practice your Doe Eyes. Master Summer says they're impressive." Aoda chuckles, wondering how the other male would react to that declaration.

Shisui's eyes widen, then his cheeks flush and he curses under his breath. "Naruto…" His cousin must have told Itachi's little brother. That was the only way that Sasuke would know. "…Very well, I will work on them." How embarrassing.

"Don't worry. I will keep your secret." Aoda smiles at him in a conspiratorial way.

"Thank you…" Though Shisui doubted that the claim was going to stay secret for very long, what with his cousin's habit of telling people embarrassing things that he shouldn't. Particularly those things that came at Shisui's expense. "…Would you…tell Itachi that I look forward to seeing him again?" Even if he was still pale and thin and faded for now, he would recover soon. He would be strong again before the next month came. Not at full strength, but enough to stand on his own two feet and regain the rest of his strength alone.

"Of course. I will do as you ask." He winks at Autumn before slithering off. After all, he had been given a task and he would be sure to accomplish it.

Shisui sighs softly and turns his cloudy gray eyes back up towards the sky. Could they do it? Could he and Itachi have a connection like that? One that didn't end almost inevitably with his fading presence being swept back into the ebb and flow of energy, just like the previous incarnations of Autumn before him…

* * *

Sasuke's ears twitch just slightly as he listens to the soft slithering in the grass of the hill he sat upon, looking out over his domain newly wrested away from Naruto. It was a sound he'd gotten used to over the many long centuries, ever since he took the little snake as his familiar. Though Aoda definitely wasn't little anymore. "You're here." Despite knowing that Aoda liked to wander, Sasuke did wonder where he'd wandered off to this time. Sometimes he would just disappear entirely to a place where even Sasuke couldn't sense him.

"Of course, Master Sasuke. I always return to you." Aoda smiles as he nuzzles the seasonal deity he had bonded with. "I have much to tell you."

Sasuke raises a hand and scratches the top of Aoda's head, right where the scales curved down behind his flat ears. "Is that right? Are you finally going to tell me where you've been wandering off to all this time?" He assumes so, considering Aoda suddenly had news immediately after returning from one of his little adventures.

Aoda enjoys the petting. It was one of the reasons he had bonded with Sasuke. "Yes, I have a friend. He's like you in a way. He presides over a season. His name is Shisui."

"You've met Autumn?" For a moment, Sasuke is surprised. Then, the surprise fades into annoyed exasperation. Of course that's where Aoda had been. No wonder Sasuke couldn't sense him sometimes when he disappeared. That close to another of the seasons, Aoda's energy would have been masked entirely. "And?"

"I think he's smitten with Winter." Amusement dances in the snake's eyes as he smiles at Sasuke. "A bit wary for obvious reasons, but clearly smitten. I don't know why humans make everything so complicated."

"We're not human, Aoda." Though Sasuke knew that it mattered little to the snake. To him, everything that walked on two legs and looked like them was human, whether they were fae, spirit, truly human, or something else entirely. "But it seems that he isn't the only one smitten." He'd never seen his brother so fixated before. Only this morning he had watched his brother take human form and go into a shop in search of a gift for his beloved. Clearly, his brother had no idea what it meant to find a gift for someone. Luckily, the human girl had been bright enough to realize as much and had handed Itachi many things that would be appropriate gifts for Autumn. For Shisui. "But I doubt that it will be as easy as Itachi charming his way into Shisui's bed."

"Well, you're close enough. You act like humans." Aoda gives his version of a shrug. He didn't really know what Sasuke was, only that he was his friend and Master. "They'll find a way. I'm certain your mother can help them somehow."

"Maybe..." But Sasuke had been pondering a few things on his own. And he thought...maybe there was a way that he could help. But he would need Naruto to do it, and skies above was he the most annoying being to ever walk the earth with him. "but tell me, how did Shisui seem when you went to visit him?"

"Happy, weak from the exposure, worried about the practical details, but as I said rather smitten." Aoda smiles as he nods.

Weak from the exposure. That was Sasuke's concern. If Shisui wilted so easily, Itachi would be heartbroken. "How weak, exactly? How did he look?" If he knew the extent to which Itachi's powers affected Shisui, then perhaps he could counteract them, provide an immunity of sorts against his brother's potent powers.

"He looked tired, sickly, and a little frosted over." He finds himself sighing. Aoda wished he had happier news to report, but he didn't. "His eyes were cloudy. His hair gray and skin...a bit ashen. A little malnourished?"

That wasn't good. Sasuke had expected it to be bad, but for Autumn to literally frost over because of Itachi's powers... in a way, it was poetic, but all it told Sasuke was that prolonged exposure could 'kill' Shisui. At least in whatever way it meant for a spirit such as they to die. "Star-crossed lovers, hm?" If Itachi acted on his feelings for Shisui, Autumn would likely wither and fade away. From what his mother had said, the spirit of Autumn was fleeting and ephemeral. Important in his own way, perhaps, but easily overwhelmed by the sheer nature of his soft and transitory role. He had faded and been reborn before, if that logic was to be followed, as was Spring. But Naruto seemed to be here to stay. Maybe they could make it so Shisui did as well. "How smitten do you believe Shisui is?"

"Completely smitten complete with silly expressions adorning his face as is the way with two leggers." Aoda nods sagely, recalling how Shisui spoke of Winter with such longing.

Then maybe it was worth saving the relationship. Sasuke smiles softly, and only because there was no one but Aoda there to see. "I take it that you enjoy Autumn's company?"

"I am your familiar now and forevermore. He's very kind though." He nods his head vigorously. "Always willing to give a belly rub and food."

Sasuke laughs quietly. "And we all know how much you adore your belly rubs." If there was one way to get into the snake's good graces, that was it. "He's in Spring's domain right now, isn't he? In that little hideaway in the valley of the White Mountains?"

"Yes, I do adore them. There's nothing like a good belly rub." Aoda swishes back and forth happily. "Aye. That's where he is. Recovering from the encounter, but he and Spring are thick as thieves."

"Good." Then that meant that Sasuke truly did know exactly how to find them. "Then I'll take Itachi to see him when Autumn is in less delicate health." There was no point in taking Itachi to see Shisui if all Itachi did was make Autumn sick again. "Can you keep an eye on him for me?"

"Yes, Master Sasuke. I'd be happy to." Aoda flicks his massive tongue lightly against Summer's cheek.

"Thank you. And I want to ask you to come to me when you believe he's well enough for visitors. Until then, I will be working on an idea to prevent Itachi from killing Shisui before he has the chance to bed him." If Autumn took his life force from Spring and Summer, then Sasuke would simply have to find a way to use that same life force to keep Shisui's from draining while in Itachi's presence. And thanks to the gifts that Itachi inadvertently picked up, Sasuke had an idea on how to do it. But he would need to find that idiot first...

"Of course." He'd do anything to help Master Sasuke. "I'd be happy to assist you in any way I can."

Sasuke smiles and lays his head against Aoda's scaly one. "You are the best friend I could have ever hoped for." And Naruto...Naruto was just something else entirely. Sasuke doubted he would ever find words adequate to describe what that moronic idiot was to him. Not that he would ever say any of them out loud.


	4. Chapter 4

The Colours of Autumn

**celestia193's Author's Note:** Sorry for taking so long, but we bring sibling bonding! And pining. Mutual pining, though! Enjoy! :)

Chapter 4

Sasuke's onyx eyes stare down at his elder brother from where he sits perched upon one of the largest boughs of one of their mother's cherry trees. Yes, he knew very well that it was a tree that symbolized spring, and yet…he couldn't bring himself to dislike it, even in front of his nosy older brother.

His nosy older brother who had become decidedly less nosy and much more pensive as of late. Of course, Sasuke knew very well why that was. Itachi was contemplating his courting of Autumn. He was contemplating how to go about it when, truly, Itachi had never done it before. At the very least, Sasuke watched the humans enough to understand how it was done. His brother on the other hand…utterly clueless.

He rests his chin in one hand as he smirks directly down at Itachi. "Have you still not decided which gift you plan to give him, or if you're going to give him all of it and smother him in attention?"

His brother was enjoying his turmoil, but Itachi couldn't entirely blame Sasuke. It was normal for brothers to tease each other. That was one thing that never changed, no matter how many eons had passed. It didn't stop it from being a bit irritating, but Itachi was a grown deity. He could handle a gentle ribbing. "I'll likely give it all to him. After all, that is what the human recommended and she seemed well versed in such matters. I'm more concerned about not accidentally killing him than the gifts at present, though."

"Yes, I suppose it would put a damper on your ability to court him if you were to freeze him and turn him into a statue for Mother's garden." Not that Sasuke was surprised in the least. Itachi's powers were overwhelming at times. "Of course, if we went when we knew that Naruto would be there, I think that he and I could keep your powers in check."

Itachi considers this, nodding after awhile. It certainly merited the attempt. "We'll give him a chance to recover further. I can always leave if it looks as though I'm overwhelming him and I'm not going to turn him into a statue!"

"If you're not going to turn him into a statue, then what is your plan, exactly? Woo him with gifts and then seduce your way into his bed?" Sasuke raises an eyebrow and tries not to let a smug grin twitch onto his face.

"I'm at a loss why you're implying such a tactic would prove ineffective?" He shoots his brother a perplexed look. "You act as though he did not invite me to participate in his...amusements already." He tilts his head, trying to recall whether or not he had mentioned such a thing to Sasuke. Oh well. Itachi was far from a blushing innocent and it wasn't as though Sasuke was completely naive. He knew more than enough about intimacy.

Amusements, hm…? According to what Aoda has said, Sasuke was fairly certain that Shisui was hopelessly looking for more than just amusements. "Are you looking for amusements, then? Wouldn't that be easier with someone…more experienced?" He wanted to prod at Itachi so badly for all of the times his elder brother had thought it funny to prod at him.

"Amusements are precious, Sasuke. Being what we are, boredom is our greatest foe." He smiles as a swirl of snowflakes leaves a sparkling imprint on his brother's forehead. "Quite honestly, I don't know entirely what I was seeking out when I first saw him. I had thought that it was just you and I. The notion we might have counterparts had occurred to me, but I had never seen hide, nor hair of either of them."

Sasuke rubs his forehead, feeling the slight chill left behind there. "I'm sorry for not telling you." The last thing he'd wanted was for Itachi and Naruto to meet before he could make it clear that Itachi wasn't to touch Spring. Now, it seemed that was no longer a problem. "Apparently Aoda has been paying visits to Autumn for a while. He told me only yesterday."

"I'll admit I find myself curious as to why you didn't tell me, but it's alright. I'm not angry." Itachi shakes his head, smiling at the mentioning of Aoda. "Everything will happen as it is meant to and I suppose that shouldn't surprise me. Aoda's always been quite the friendly beast."

"Yes, he's been making new friends lately." And in truth, Sasuke didn't know how long Aoda had been paying visits to Shisui. It would be something to ask his familiar later. "And apparently, his new friend is quite smitten with you."

Hmm. Was it ethical to 'spy' on Shisui in such a fashion? "Dare I ask what our favorite reptile has been saying?"

"Physically, he's still ill, but he seemed over the moon to have caught your attention." Aoda's description of Shisui had been that he was practically starry-eyed, even if those eyes were still clouded with sickness. "He's well enough that Aoda found him outside in the garden, but he's not able to venture far from the home he shares with Naruto."

"Good. I'm glad. That means his recovery is going about as well as can be expected." Guilt was still gnawing at Itachi for what he had done. It hadn't been on purpose, but that didn't alter what had happened. Shisui had been hurt just by sheer virtue of being close to him.

Sasuke frowns at the expression on his brother's face. For as difficult as it usually was to read anything in Itachi's face, the hints of guilt and worry were obvious if one knew where to look for them. And Sasuke knew Itachi better than…anyone, actually. Including their own parents. "Itachi, what happened with Shisui wasn't your fault. You had no way of knowing that your powers would do that to him. Now that we know, we can work on making sure that the two of you can see each other without it hurting him."

Itachi avoids Sasuke's gaze. His brother was right, but that didn't make him feel the slightest bit better. "It doesn't matter whether I meant to hurt him or not. The reality of the situation is I did. I need to find a way not to make my mere presence akin to a fatal disease around him or else I'll need to do the right thing and leave Shisui to his own devices." He wouldn't subject Shisui to agony or possibly even death just to satisfy his own desires for a few moments of happiness.

That was true, and Sasuke wouldn't push Itachi to be with Shisui if there was really no way to do it safely. But he knew that Itachi would wonder forever if he didn't at least try. "What if there was a way to protect him from the draining effects of Winter's cold?"

"Then there wouldn't be an issue." He raises an eyebrow. Sasuke had neglected to mention Spring and Autumn's existence...so, perhaps his little brother did know of a way to resolve this issue. "Do you know of a way to protect him?"

"I've been thinking about it, at least." And Sasuke had admittedly been thinking hard ever since hearing about Itachi's infatuation. "You and I are…opposites in a way, Itachi. You bring the cold of winter, I bring the heat of summer. I can resist your power because I am your opposite. He isn't. But when he's in Spring's domain with Naruto, he should be safe from your power because Naruto can overwhelm your cold and bring spring. It's the cycle of the seasons. You overwhelm him because you're meant to. Naruto overwhelms you because he's meant to. So if my power can resist you and Naruto's can overwhelm you…"

Itachi tilts his head as he considers it. "So you believe he'd be safe as long as we were both in Naruto's domain?" Could it really be that simple?

"His or mine." Sasuke's brows knit together for a moment, then he holds his hand out towards Itachi. "Can I see the couple's necklaces you bought for Shisui and you?"

"Well, it's worth exploring at least." It wasn't as though Itachi had any better ideas. "Of course, you can see them." He swiftly grabs the jewelry and hands it to his brother. "Do you believe they could help somehow?"

"I was just thinking…" Sasuke turns the smooth, carved stones over in his hand, gazing at the runes inscribed upon them. "I'm sure that you two wouldn't want to have to meet in Naruto's domain forever. So if there was a way to protect Autumn in a way that he could wear…maybe then you could show him the winter without freezing him half to death."

"Well, endowing objects with magical powers has been done before." Itachi's brows furrow in theory. "It's an easy enough matter to transfer a sliver of your magic into the necklace. The only question is whether or not it would be sufficient enough to combat winter's effect on him."

Right, and that was the complication in Sasuke's train of thought. Was he or Naruto powerful enough to cast an enchantment like that on their own? One that would last long enough to be effectively permanent? Or would they need two? "Itachi, if I imbued my power in one and gave it to Shisui to protect him, and Naruto imbued the other for you, do you think that together they would be strong enough to protect Shisui and stop you from making things wilt and frost up everywhere by accident?"

"It's possible. If you were to give Shisui some of your summer magic to directly protect him and Naruto gives me some of his spring magic to subdue my powers slightly, the cumulative effects might prove strong enough." Figuring out the duration of the effects would prove more tricky, but at a minimum...it would help Shisui to some degree. The only question was to what extent.

"Then it's convenient that Naruto always has energy to spare." It was why Sasuke found dealing with Naruto to be as exhausting as it was energizing. There was no end to the energy that man had. "I'll take these, then." He tucks the pendants into a small pouch hanging from the back of his belt. Then he glances at his elder brother and smiles slightly. "You won't make Autumn disappear, Itachi." Not this time.

"I hope so, Sasuke." It was amazing how desperately Itachi suddenly wanted someone who he hadn't even known existed not that long ago.

Itachi really was so incredibly in love. It was so obvious that a blind man could see it. Sasuke doubted that he'd ever seen Itachi this intensely focused on anyone before. Ever. "Be careful with that romantic heart of yours, Itachi, you'll turn yourself into a poet at the rate you're going."

"Poetry has never appealed to me, but there are worse things to be." He pokes Sasuke in the forehead. "So tell me more about relationship you've developed with Spring. The one you saw fit to neglect to mention for goodness only knows how long."

Sasuke's cheeks heat with the softest dusting of pink as his eyes narrow into a glare. "I am not in a relationship with Spring. Naruto finds it funny to harass me every time I show up to take the reins and do my job."

"Mmm…of course you're not in a relationship with Spring. Why else would your cheeks resemble cherry blossoms?" Itachi chuckles at his surprisingly bashful sibling.

Sasuke scoffs and shakes his head. "And why is it that you are so determined to imagine a romance between myself and that idiot? We're hardly star-crossed lovers like you and Autumn."

"Love doesn't have to be star-crossed for it to be meaningful." There was something terribly endearing about Sasuke's irritation.

The irritation pumps off of Sasuke in waves. His brother had a bone and he refused to let it go. "And who says that if I were in love, it would have to be spring? Autumn enjoys chasing the nature spirits. Who could say that I don't prefer that as well?"

"I suppose you could, but the fact you're so huffy about it implies otherwise." Itachi smiles fondly at his sulking sibling. "It's alright, Sasuke. I'll only tease you about him when Naruto isn't around. I'm not completely without mercy."

Defiant fire flashes in Sasuke's gaze, his irises turning fiery red for a brief moment. Then he huffs and plucks a bundle of cherry blossoms from a small branch hanging just above the bough on which he sat. He gathers them in hand and allows one to fall down towards the ground and onto his brother's head. "All he and I do is fight."

"If you say so." Itachi shakes his head as he examines the flower. "It's quite pretty." Only for it to freeze under his touch.

Sasuke's expression softens and saddens slightly as he watches the blossom turn to ice. It was still beautiful, but…it only reinforced their stark reality. There had been times that Sasuke had felt that it would have been best for Itachi to take up the mantle of Summer, and he Winter. That way, the gentle Itachi could have had an easier time connecting with others. Sasuke didn't care much for connecting and making friends, he wouldn't be bothered by the isolating nature of the season.

And yet…the powers of Winter suited Itachi far better than him. Sasuke knew that, with his temper, he would have long since frozen a number of beings that annoyed him. He would have abused that power without a second thought. But Itachi…Itachi exercised wisdom and control that Sasuke would only ever admit to himself that he just didn't have. Still, was the safety worth the drawbacks? "…Itachi, I'm sorry that I was born Summer instead of Winter. Life would be easier for you if our roles were reversed."

"We are as we were meant to be Sasuke. You were born to be Summer and I to be Winter. You're far too hotheaded for Winter and I'm not passionate enough to be Summer." He smiles looking up at Sasuke. It was best that his brother learn to accept that now. "Granted I wish that my powers didn't naturally have this effect on Shisui, but other than that...I have no regrets when it comes to my place in the never-ending circle that is nature. I hope one day you will come to feel the same."

Maybe he would, but even so… Sasuke wished that he could trade places with Itachi, or even with Shisui. Then everything would be as balanced as it should be, instead of Summer being caught in a struggle for power with Spring. "Itachi…how is it that you manage to keep the balance when you and Naruto are fighting for control of the end of winter and beginning of spring?"

"Oh quite simply, I feel his power and I try my best not to fight it." He nods, considering the question. "It's the right thing to do and he's strong enough in his own right that if I really pushed the issue, it would become uncomfortable after awhile."

That alone was enough to intrigue Sasuke, and for a moment he wonders what it would look like if Naruto and his brother went head to head. "Naruto always fights me when the time to pass to summer comes… But with Autumn, he just slips in when I've gotten bored and tired. It's like being a child again and listening to Mother sing me a lullaby."

"Yes, Shisui does seem a gentle sort. I suppose it has something to do with him being more of a transition season." Itachi tilts his head as he mulls the matter over in his mind. "There's nothing aggressive about him. Lustful yes, but aggressive no."

Right, of course his brother was going to focus on the parts that attracted him to Autumn most. "Do you plan on pretending that you aren't lusting after him as well, Itachi?"

"No. That'd be a pointless endeavor." He glances at the necklaces as if to prove his point. "You already know how I feel about him and as an added benefit, discussing such things will likely fluster you. That always amuses me."

Sasuke bristles under the insinuation, but doesn't bother to refute it. "Then I suppose that all that's left is for your manhood to thaw out so that you might put it to use and go SEE him rather than just talk about it."

"You can be such a brat sometimes. I assure you that part of my person isn't frozen." Itachi scoffs. Honestly, what was he going to do with his brother?

"Are you sure? You did manage to nearly freeze Autumn with just one kiss. I'd hate to think how silver his hair might become if you took him to your bed." Sasuke's lips curl into a wicked smirk.

Itachi knew it was beneath him, but he throws a snowball at Sasuke anyway. "You really are foolish."

In a rare moment of levity, Sasuke laughs as the snowball disappears into a cloud of half-melted snowflakes and steam as it touches his arm and sets off the searing warmth of his aura. "So you say, but I'm not the one throwing snow at the Spirit of Summer."

"Well, I suppose that's a fair point." Itachi rolls his eyes. "Anyway, let us work on these necklaces."

Sasuke chuckles quietly. It was a rare day when he managed to get one over on hiss brother, but it was always satisfying to see Itachi lose his composure, even a little. "Alright. You teach me how to imbue one with energy, and I'll teach the idiot when we go to pay him and Autumn a visit. Maybe some time alone will help you thaw out a little."

"Good. We have an agreement. It's a relatively simple process if you have enough magical reserves and control over the flow of your magic." Itachi nods, preparing to instruct Sasuke in magical energy transference. It was likely going to be a long day.

* * *

Despite the winter stretching out beyond the mountains the surrounded them, a warm breeze and warmer sunlight drifts through the wood and paper doors of Spring's hidden hideaway.

Outside with the animals, Autumn sits with charcoal and parchment, sketching three snow-capped mountains and the stream cutting silver trails down the peaks like shining tears.

Inside, a round, brassy bowl filled with clear, shimmering water ripples softly as the image of Summer appears within it. "Hn. Idiot."

"Bastard, can't you even say hello nicely." Naruto rolls his eyes, but there was no malice in it. The day Summer didn't insult him somehow would likely kill him of shock and that was saying something since Naruto was pretty sure he was immortal. "Anyway, what do you want? You've already said two words without me having to punch you and that's pretty rare. So, I know something is up."

Sasuke's eye narrow in irritation. Somehow, the idiot always managed to annoy him, even when he wasn't doing anything wrong. "Unless you're a complete moron, I think even you know what's up between my brother and your cousin."

"Yeah. You're not going to be a super bastard and say they shouldn't be together, are you?" Naruto wouldn't allow it. Shisui was besotted. It was equal parts sweet and heartbreaking. "Because my cousin is enamored by your brother and I doubt that Winter did it on purpose..."

It was annoying that the idiot thought right off the bat that Sasuke wanted to keep the two of them apart. Maybe he could have if he'd discouraged Itachi about it, but…in for a penny… "Of course Itachi didn't do it on purpose. He's been foolishly agonizing over hurting Autumn ever since they first met. And I wasn't going to say that they shouldn't be together."

"Oh good. What did you have in mind?" Naruto brightens instantly. Finally, they agreed on something. Maybe that meant that Sasuke was going to stop being so...combative all the time. Sure, Naruto loved the thrill of a good fight, but it'd be nice if every conversation didn't end with a fist aimed at his face or worse a kicked aimed at areas that no male being, immortal or not, wanted hit.

"Itachi should come to visit Autumn while he's with you." Sasuke shrugs. His plan was simple, but effective. "It's the one place where Itachi's powers will be dampened enough not to hurt Autumn."

"Yeah. That might help some." Naruto grins at Sasuke. It was a start. "You're really smart when you're not being all grumpy."

Sasuke's hackles raise slightly. "I'm ALWAYS more intelligent than you, Naruto." And he didn't need to not be grumpy to achieve that.

"Pft. Whatever you say. So, Mr. Intelligent, how are we going to get Itachi here?" The blond had never actually met Sasuke's brother. Winter might be too cautious to just visit a stranger's home.

"You say that as if you think we could trick my brother into paying Autumn a visit." Sasuke crosses his arms and rolls his eyes. "When he's ready to come, he will tell me so, and I'll be the one to bring the both of us here." It was as simple as that.

"Alright. I hope this works." Naruto nods sagely as he mulls over some possible outcomes in his head. "Well, at least Winter seems a bit more cuddly than you. So, yeah it might be easier for Shisui."

"Hn, Itachi is more than a little infatuated with Autumn. You should see the mountain of gifts he bought for your cousin." Sasuke had seen instances of human men making amends with their women through the giving of gifts, but until recently, he'd never believed his own brother would be engaging in such behaviour.

"That's sweet. Hard to believe you're related." Naruto shoots him a cheek grin. He couldn't resist riling up the other man. "Alright. You know how to contact me. Um I'm not sure if I should tell Shisui. He'll be excited, but if Itachi takes awhile... you know the whole waiting thing..."

"Then keep it a surprise." Honestly, Sasuke didn't care if Autumn knew or not, he just didn't want his brother to be disappointed when they got there. "How long do you expect that Autumn will be staying with you?"

"Well, he usually stays at least a few weeks at a time. If he leaves early, I can still send word to him, though." The other season was really good at keeping in touch.

So it took a few weeks for Autumn to recover after the end of his season, then… Sasuke makes a mental note not to mention that in front of Itachi. "Then I will contact you again when Itachi is ready to make the visit. For now, he and I are working on a method that might allow them to be together without needing the two of us to suppress Itachi's powers."

"That'd be great if you can manage it." And if anyone could, it would be the stubborn Summer.

"Hn. I'll manage it." Sasuke's excellent skills included excelling at accomplishing whatever task he set his mind to. "Just be sure to look after Autumn. Itachi will want to see him healthy when we arrive."

"I'll do my best. Hope to see you soon." Naruto beams at the other immortal, joy dancing in his azure irises.

"Hn. Idiot." Sasuke shakes his head and waves his hand, disappearing into the aether as the water of the bowl clears of his image.

He shakes his head. It wouldn't be Summer if he didn't add some insult at the end. Still, he couldn't help but be hopeful. Maybe Shisui had finally found someone to love for more than a season.

The door slides open a little further and a head of curly black and silver hair pokes inside the house. "Naruto?" Shisui steps inside, wrapped in fur and holding his parchment and charcoal to his chest. "Were you talking to someone?"

"Shisui, you should be resting." Naruto smiles nervously. Damn it. "Ah yeah, I was talking to Summer. I don't want you to get your hopes up or anything, but he seems pretty confident that Winter will end up visiting you and that between the four of us...we'll balance each other's powers out. Tehehe." He fidgets. Damn it. Why he had he said that? What had he just told Sasuke? That making Shisui wait wasn't fair and, now he had gone and opened his big, fat mouth.

"Itachi might come visit?" Shisui blinks, unsure even of the words he'd spoken himself. "Are you…sure?"

"That's what Sasuke told me and I'd take him at his word for it. I mean he is Itachi's brother." Naruto winks at Shisui as if that settled everything.

Itachi was…coming to visit. Itachi was coming to see HIM. Shisui could hardly believe that a being as old and powerful as Winter would come to visit with as obscure a spirit as him. "Did Sasuke say…why?"

"Um yeah. He didn't really have to, though. I mean it's obvious that he's in love with you." Even Naruto could see that and he hadn't met Itachi, but he had heard Sasuke talk about Winter's feelings. Summer was many things, but a liar was definitely not one of them.

For so long, Shisui had largely been overlooked by all but the nature spirits. To have gained the attention of Winter himself and kept it for this long was…mystifying. But it was rather nice, too. "Then I will look forward to it." Shisui smiles softly and sits down a little tiredly after the sudden burst of excitement. "But what do you think I should do?" Courting with a spirit as old as Winter would be nothing like flirting with the nature spirits.

"Well, I think you should just be you. I mean he loves you. Once the different affinities aren't an issue, everything else should fall into place." Naruto nods, patting Shisui on the shoulder. This wasn't like his cousin. He was normally so confident. He must really be smitten.

"Just be me…" Well, Shisui could do that much. Whether Itachi would like it or not, he couldn't say. But he would give it his best effort, at least. "Then I'd better recover my strength as quickly as I can." It wouldn't do for Itachi to see him in such a weakened state again.

Naruto beams at him. "Great. Don't worry, Shisui. The man is already crazy about you."

"And I, him." Shisui strokes the edge of his parchment and smiles. It was, after all, a sketch he'd worked hard on, even though it was not yet complete.

A picture of beautiful Winter.


End file.
